
Even before the US Constitution was ratified, the notion of empowering federal judges to declare statutes unconstitutional was controversial and complicated. Since Marbury v. Madison (1803), judicial review has become essential to the Supreme Court’s role in our republic. Yet the Court’s actual exercise of that power in many instances reignited political controversy.



In his new book, “Repugnant Laws: Judicial Review of Acts of Congress from the Founding to the Present” (University Press of Kansas, 2019), Keith Whittington reviews the Court’s decisions declaring laws unconstitutional. His book highlights and clarifies the Court’s role in our constitutional order, how it has evolved over time, and its relationship with contemporaneous political developments.



Please join AEI for a conversation between Dr. Whittington and AEI’s Adam White on this provocative new understanding of judicial review.



This audio first appeared at an AEI event held on February 21, 2020, at AEI’s headquarters in Washington, DC. 



Watch the full event here.

‘Repugnant Laws’: A book event with Keith Whittington

AEI hosts over 200 events each year with leading thinkers, politicians, newsmakers, and scholars. Listen each week to the full conversations, debates, and speeches hosted by AEI scholars.

News

Politics

Government

News Commentary

Members of Congress and state legislatures are taking aim at online platforms’ ability to set and enforce content-moderation guidelines as private entities. Several proposals in Congress would scrap or amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content. At the state level, “anti-censorship” laws seek to prevent online platforms from taking down certain content — potentially violating the First Amendment. Online platforms are also struggling to produce content-moderation strategies that satisfy increasingly polarized users. How can Congress, state officials, and social media firms address users’ content-moderation concerns while preserving the free and open internet? Join AEI’s Shane Tews for a fireside chat with former Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA), who coauthored Section 230. You can watch the event here.

The Future of Online Speech Regulation: Section 230 and Beyond

The war in Ukraine has raged for more than a month, yet predictions of a rapid Russian victory have proved wrong. Indeed, it now appears that by the definitions Vladimir Putin putatively set — to oust the “Nazi” regime of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and save ethnic Russians under the Ukrainian yoke — Russia is losing the war. What is the state of play on the ground? Can Ukraine win and Russia lose, or vice versa? What is the state of the information war? And what does it all mean for NATO and the United States?Event MaterialsUkraine invasion updates and maps If you enjoy this episode, check out Dany's podcast, What the Hell is Going On? wherever you get your podcasts.

War in Ukraine: Russian losses, Ukrainian victory, and the information war

In “The Poor Side of Town: And Why We Need It” (Encounter Books, 2021), AEI’s Howard Husock combines a critique of more than a century of housing reform policies with the idea that simple low-cost housing — a poor side of town — helps those of modest means build financial assets and join in the local democratic process. Mr. Husock shares the powerful stories of housing reformers, critiques the legacy of urban renewal policies and exclusionary zoning, and shows where American cities went wrong. More importantly, he offers solutions as to how urban planners, state and local policymakers, and concerned citizens can help their communities make housing more affordable and accessible for those of modest means. Watch the full event here.

‘The Poor Side of Town: And Why We Need It’: A book talk with Howard Husock

As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to shift from an acute crisis to an endemic pathogen, AEI’s Scott Gottlieb — physician, medical policy expert, public health advocate, and former US Food and Drug Administration commissioner — is releasing a book, “Uncontrolled Spread: Why COVID-19 Crushed Us and How We Can Defeat the Next Pandemic” (HarperCollins, September 2021), to help leaders and policymakers understand how COVID-19 was able to trounce America’s pandemic preparations. Dr. Gottlieb identifies why the United States was caught unprepared and outlines essential policies and investments to protect the United States and the world from future threats. He outlines specific steps that must be taken to protect against the next outbreak. Please join Dr. Gottlieb and AEI President Robert Doar for a discussion of the issues raised in “Uncontrolled Spread.” Purchase your copy here. Watch the full event here.

Uncontrolled spread: A book event with Scott Gottlieb

Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks, the Joe Biden administration has ended the “forever war” in Afghanistan, replacing US boots on the ground with an over-the-horizon counterterrorism capability. Africa, not the Middle East, has become the next frontier for groups such as al Qaeda and the Islamic State. What lessons should we take from past counterterrorism efforts to address today’s and tomorrow’s threats? AEI and the Combating Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy at West Point host a discussion exploring the trajectory of the transnational terrorism threat and the successes and failures of the past two decades of counterterrorism operations. Watch the full event here.

‘Repugnant Laws’: A book event with Keith Whittington

Download our free app to listen on your phone